Correlating Air Freezing Index and Frost Penetration Depth : A Case Study for Sweden

• The determination of frost penetration is one of the main requirements in considering environmental effects in pavement design in cold regions. At the present time, the frost depth of pavements in Sweden is estimated computationally using computer software which approximates the heat equation by finite difference. Due to the geographical positioning of Sweden, a wide range of air freezing index and frost penetration depths were observed with lower values in the south and higher values in the north. This paper introduces a simplified design chart which is obtained by empirically correlating the air freezing index estimated from temperature measurements by 44 local meteorological stations to the maximum frost penetration depth obtained by 49 RWIS Road Weather Information Station data. The results are classified depending on their location and the climatic zones defined by the Swedish pavement design codes. Nonlinear prediction intervals are implemented to provide a range of possible frost penetration depths since local site conditions are not taken into account. Further research is required to consider local on-site effects such as frost susceptibility of pavement materials, the thermal conductivity of layers, access to water and snow covering.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Geoteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Geotechnical Engineering (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Infrastrukturteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Infrastructure Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Infrastructure Engineering

Infrastrukturteknik

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